Choosing reference monitor speakers for your music studio

[spiritmedicine42]

Do you think the newer model the HR824mk2 is just a good or better? What about the Yamaha HS80M's? They have a good reputation.

[MerlosMusicOfficial]

sooo man what would you recommend me for house music? u know in how music we love the bass and im pretty sure that i need to hear please reply! thank you :)! nice video btw little tom cruise

[DurnoldDuke1]

which monitor speakers would you recommend for pop/rock kind of music?

[videobenji]

Now I need to find a place where I can make loud music without pissing everyone off!

[bclaus0]

Hi DJ Vespers,

Would you recommend buying two KRK VXT 8's second hand (in great condition) without sub, or two Adam A5X's but brand new and later buy a sub to go with them? In case you have some other recommendations, I'd love to hear your opinion. We produce electronic music in a small home-studio.

greets,

Claus.

[eggobass]

DJVespers, thanks for the great advice! I'm a bass guitarist/upright player so finding a decent 8 inch speaker has been my top priority for playback. Thanks again for the great video.

[tomtude]

hey tom crusie you are just him , missing imp...ble .!!!

[joserendons]

The truth is that the good flat speakers cost tons of money, and the best are brands like ADAMS, FOCAL , DYNAUDIO, but they cost like 1500 dls a piece , that means like 3000 dls the pair. so it´s very hard to get one of those jeje. cool video man!

[patrickjn77]

Great video. Very informative and helped me in my search to find monitors. On a budget i think i am going to go with Samson Resolv A-8's. They have an 8 inch woofer, good response range and 100 watts. I think they'll suit my needs.

[ganjaking187]

what is the best type of cable to use if your connecting them to a laptop? xlr,rca..etc

[Tbda1]

Thanks for the info.

[iPandylicious]

Sweet vest.

[MistaMase102]

vespers, your a cool straight forward guy, but your choice of clothes ( pork pie hat and waistcoat ) is a big no-no

[Kaotik2k8]

Really nice practical advice!

[DotStor]

aaaaahhhh your exporting a HUGE project on ableton ;) thumbs up :D

[DJayFreeDoo]

From my own experience with genelec, dynaudio, tannoy, ns10 and more, i have to say that im really curious about just how good these ks digital monitors really are.

[DJayFreeDoo]

I just found that KS audio got a brand called KS digital wich is for the studio environment. So far all the reviews i find on thier KS digital adm-2 also called adm20 and thier C5 monitors can be found at: ksaudio dot com. They are said and confirmed by experienced mixing engineers to be alot more revealing, accurate and just takes mixing to a new level, that when a mix sound good in ks digital, they are confident that thier mixes sound as intended anywhere they play it.

[windexfighter77]

I think he looks more like Edward Norton than Tom Cruise

[TheLynxie]

My headphones ARE monitors, so they are FLAAAAAAT.

They can reproduce a ear splitting amount of BASS, too. So. I use those, I cannot really use speakers like this because that means the sound isn't DIRECT to my ears, so I'm one of those producers that use headphones.

[DJayFreeDoo]

@TheLynxie if you rely on headphones, you're doing it wrong. there is a reason that the professional studios use speakers. Do your mixes really come out the way you intended in other systems like, in a car, a tv or a high and lowend stereo. you are limiting your mixes to only sound good in a pair of headphones. do some mixing in a correctly acoustic treated room with highend monitors and a sub if needed. then compare your headphone mixes with your speaker mixes in consumer environments. :D

[TheLynxie]

@DJayFreeDoo They do come out correctly. I have a professional studio in retrospect to the standard of what one needs these days. You can't exactly say they will come out shitty because. *Bill Nye* Consider The Following:

A: All non-monitors are EQ'd to sound different no matter what.

B: I listen to my own music sometimes on speakers and they sound fine.

C: Do you know that there are a lot of different headphones, like open, and closed are different.

D: I use monitor headphones to monitor Hz.

[DJVespers]

@TheLynxie Headphones can seriously distort your perception of stereo field, unless they're open. I've been really impressed with my Sennheiser HD558s.

[TheLynxie]

@DJVespers I have 2 open, 1 semi, 2-3 (If I could find my Apex's) closed.

So I can determine the best mix.

[djkub1]

@DJVespers so basically what your saying is that its bad to do mixing on headphones then speakers. Can I master with headphones?

[MISTERJUNIAN]

@DJVespers Nice, do you have any experience/opinion on HD598s as that's what I have. Thanks.

[MichaelCorcoranMusic]

@TheLynxie ya i can tell from your song u use headphones because its shit!

[TheLynxie]

@MichaelCorcoranMusic Yes. A song that I mixed and sequenced in about 2 hours, with 10 minutes of mastering would sound like shit. I don't post my good music on YouTube. I post it on actual music sites.

/ If you don't use headphones your mix will sound of shit, by the way. Such as the single song you yourself posted.

On a final note, if you continue to not spell correctly you're not going far in the world.

[doomtomb3]

@TheLynxie They produce an ear splitting amount of bass and yet they are flat? I don't think so.

[TheLynxie]

@doomtomb3 Jesus Christ, man. You're looking at the fucking remastered shitty dubstep song.

I did that so I could show what remastering, and proper EQ could properly do to bassboost. And not just adding 12 DB of bass.

If you really wanna baw like that. Look at the descriptions of the videos. I didn't even make that song.

[K0lsyr4]

@TheLynxie No, I use HD-25 II when I'm producing music, because my speakers are shitty. But I still switch back and forth to make sound perfect on both speakers and in headphones. And when I'm making bass sound I EQ out the bass on the speakers and make it loud, I want the bass to resonate with my cheast or the dorr and trying to make the bass as clean as possible.

[rachitballer]

@TheLynxie Headphones are really good when you don't have access to monitor speakers at that moment. Heapdhones are great for monitoring purposes, although for mixing purposes, speakers will be better than headphones in terms of soundstage (depth and width)

[djrits]

What was being rendered/bounced in the background? ;)

[angie4josh]

thanks man, this helped alot.

[ArGyProductions]

Really like your tips and feedback buddy... Just earned yourself a new sub xD

[DarrenMalla]

hey vespers what type of xlr cable you need to connect those to an audio interface to pc (I'm using m audio fast track pro) isn't it male XLR to TRS balanced cable?

[PURODESMADR3]

hmm.... headphones that can produce that power of bass..... hahahahhaa!

[Bootstrap193]

Are you going to be doing a video on moitor placement and acoustic treatment in the near future?

[prodigythomas]

Just bought some KRK R6's on eBay, thanks for the great video!

[jazzplayer9]

wharfedale's!

[FinalFragment]

Imo the new mackie (MKII) are very blurry in the low end.

The RP series from KRK are utter shite, with no stereo field and a giant hole in the mid/high freq.

A very nice entrance monitor I like is Behringer 3030A and 3031A.

They have a sweetspot and high that is almost as good as Adam AX5 and the low end is better and more tight. For the same price as a KRK rp5 you will get a monitor that sounds like an Adam AX5, and thats crazy cheap.

The old Behringer is crap though, stay away from those.

[cast390]

You look like a young Tom Cruise

[DJVespers]

@cast390 Odd, I've never heard that one before...but if I can bang Katie Holmes I'm all down with that shiz. Goooooooose! Nooooooooo!

[joeblack949]

the hs80m's are awesome, im a big time fan of yamaha overall, but honestly out of all the speakers mentioned those mackies mk II edition, are untouchable, if you need more rumble get yourself a single max 15inch sub, after 15inches you really lose the accuracy in your bass, dual 12's or even a single 12 in a really cleverly designed box should sound alot better.

[TranceForTheFuture]

Is it possible to create great mixes from a 8", wiithout a sub? I heard Vespers mentioning his 8" Mackie´s have a great low freq. response, so I guess you can get it to sound good without a sub? (even though it helps it sound even better).

[Kkidzz]

There are so many more factors that are not mentioned in deciding what monitors to purchase; room size, speaker placement, speaker isolation etc.

Most importantly, which many people overlook, is room treatment.

Example: If you have a tiny untreated perfectly square room and you're throwing in monitors with an 8" woofer you can have some problems; possibly,standing waves from too much bass = boomy room.

Google Gearslutz for DIY tips on doing budget room treatment.

[DJVespers]

@Kkidzz Yes and no. Speaker placement and isolation don't really dictate what speaker you buy, but rather what you do with the ones that you have. Room size yes. The Mackies have a variety of settings on the back to accommodate different setups and room placements. Hopefully most people aren't producing in a shoebox ;)

[JahmBProducts]

@DJVespers Hey, just wondering if you can give me some advice. I have a pear of HR624s and I'm think of adding a sub, to monitor low end frequencies in my mixes (seeing that I make bass heavy music). I made a decision to go along with the Mackie HR120 sub, but it's really hard to find since it's discontinued. What model/brand would you recommend to go along with my Mackies, and what should I take into account?

[tabulaerasae82]

@DJVespers can anyone recomend me some decent best allround speakers for a bedroom studio around

£150 - £300 max mark please ?? i just bought reason and my logitech laptop speakers need to go LOL

[burpo]

@DJVespers I'm producing in a shoebox. *sniffle*

[atabeylive]

crap Genelec are the shit I love my 8020B it has a nice bass to it and very clear end high.

[SuperBrownTrout]

Great Work fab video all the best from Ireland Danny

[CedricKrys]

thanks a lot, good tutorial :)

[mariano26788]

i've a Thonet & Vander whit a 4" buffer and 1" tweeter.... power of out 36W and response of frecuency 20Hz - 20KHz... is a good speaker or crap like any other??

i need a answer becouse i feel a little bit more the bass and sub-bass but is not good what i like it...

[DJVespers]

@mariano26788 If they're 4" then you're definitely not hearing bass like you should be IMO.

[mariano26788]

@DJVespers i've good ear... xD.

please God give me a 10"!!!!!!!!

[CTRLALTDELmusic]

Love the fact you have a tune rendering on ableton in the background! But yeah, another spot on tutorial mate!!

[urdynamix1]

Hey Vespers, I'm Happy To See That You're Using Mackie Monitors, We Think They're The Best for Urban Music, We've Use Them For Years With Great Results, MR and HR Series, Great Vid as Always. 

[ace101guy]

Gosh man you really throw down some big bucks on you equipment, but i guess great music comes from great gear as well. Thanks for the info man i'm going to be looking into those krk speakers on craigslist or something ^_^

[lightshow]

thanks for the info, i see you rendering a track in the background

[EntityMusicEnt]

I use Samson Rubicon R6a ribbon monitors. They have a 6" driver & sound incredible!! But I'm in the market for some 8" monitors because as you stated in your video most monitors under 8" don't play bass freq too well. I think mines are flat down to about 45Hz & I waited too long to buy the matching 10" sub (discontinued) I wanna try the Mackies or some JBL's

Also, you forgot to mention the importance of buying acoustic pads to place the speakers on to prevent vibrations and muddy mixes.

[LuckyInvader]

Hey vespers nice video. i got a question i was thinking in buying a pair of yamaha HS 80 should i buy the yamaha sub aswell? other label sub would work? or in the end its better buy a bigger set of monitor like your mackie.

[DJVespers]

@LuckyInvader Hey mate. The HS80s are already 8" aren't they? Although, if you can get a sub, I'd buy one. Get the matched one designed for the system, that's my recommendation. Cheers!

[DjAdam16]

@LuckyInvader I know a bunch of friends who hate the HS80. They are all good producers and do not recommend the HS80. Don't know, it really depends on your taste. My suggestion would be to get the VXT6" by KRK if you have the Cash or the Rokits if you are a little short. If you don't have money for both versions, then be patient and save up for something good. Don't worry if they are pricey, you are getting everything back cent by cent! KRK is simply amazing. I got a pair of VXT6 and 10s SUB. ;)

[LuckyInvader]

@DjAdam16 : see thats what confuse me the most because on the official websites hs80 seems to have better low frequencies response then the vxt6.i can afford for the vxt6 bt nt for the sub i need something not too much and with gd bass. i need to find a store where i can listen 2 both speakers

[DjAdam16]

@LuckyInvader Yeah, believe me I was confused to at the beginning. I heard really bad comments about the HS80 but I don't know they might be good but personally I didnt like it. I suggest you go to a store and have a listen to some monitors. If you don't have much money buy the Rokits cause they are really affordable and good. =P

[vokasgrota]

Nice one. Genelecs here, not everyone's cup of tea but I like em.

[DJVespers]

@vokasgrota Yeah, I'd like to try em. Sick puppies!

[MubangaDNB]

So I own a pair of Beyer Dynamics DT770 headphones they go pretty low sound very roomy and I can were them for hours. why should I invest my money in studio monitors? Serious question.

[Duplex0r]

@MubangaDNB headphones are especially problematic when it comes to the stero field. you only get the left channel on your left ear, and the right channel on your right ear - as opposed to a normal speaker siatuation where both channels will reach both ears. Also, you are missing the "3D" effect of the signal being reflected in a room.

This makes it very hard to precisely work out panning, stero placement and such.

[MubangaDNB]

@Duplex0r thnx but if that's all I don't think I really need them^^ yeah more money to invest in other gear

[djemptyx]

@MubangaDNB Mix in both reference monitors and headphones. It's good not to rely on only one source for mixing. Some mix engineers use even 3 source references, the third being a mono speaker that sits between the two stereo reference monitors. So the answer is to check your mix in BOTH a good pair of phones and also through reference monitors.Keep your nice Beyers

[biggtimemusic]

@djemptyx Ya and check it everywhere else too.. not all your listeners are going to have good monitors or headphones.. they may be listening through ipod headphones, laptop speakers (eeeek), a silly boombox or whatever.. so if you can check your mix in these places you might be better off when sharing your music with non - audiophiles.. cheers!

[djemptyx]

@biggtimemusic Absolutely. :)

[djemptyx]

@Duplex0r partly correct. The technical aspect of what you are saying is correct, however BECAUSE of this real stereo experience you can use a good pair of phones to make finer adjustments to a mix. Do not rely on only your reference monitors for your mix. The trick is to Learn how all of your mixing reference treat the sound and stereo field and this only comes after one's ears become 'acquainted' with whatever monitoring equipment one decides to use. Absolutely keep the headphones (good pair)

[EntityMusicEnt]

@djemptyx I agree. In addition to my studio monitors I also have Sony MDR 7506 headphones that I only use for mixing. Another thing I do is after I have my final mix done, I will listen to it on both my studio monitors and my headphones in addition to my blackberry, Apple laptop speakers, in the car etc to make sure it translates well across different systems. The truth is, not everyone has studio monitors to listen to all of their music on so playback in other systems is key for a great mix.

[djemptyx]

@EntityMusicEnt Yes, that is exactly the routine...absolutely. The more variety of systems that your mix translates well to the more you are beginning to get the ear for mixing in your studio environment. It is really logical if you sit to ponder on it. If you are mixing for clubs then be sure to get a DJ friend to spin it before the club opens, loud and proud on the house PA so you can REALLY hear what the different parts do on the dancefloor. Alot of club PA are wired in mono

[djemptyx]

Also, in a book I just finished by Mike Senior of SOS Mag, he recommends to stay clear of ported monitors due to exaggerated bass-response curve. The reason speakers are ported is to make up for their deficiency in the low-end of the spectrum, that is they are not giving a completely Accurate response curve in that area. This is very important for bass-heavy music. Your low-end could cause you trouble. KRK is a ported speaker, btw. It means there is a "bass port" or hole somewhere in the casing.

[mrbeemee]

I have KRK rp5 g2 to produce dance music with. They are very nice but it is hard to mix bass with them. Should i get a KRK 10 subwoofer ? only problem is that i have a bedroom studio and my room is really really small :P

[djraisd]

thanks!!!

[DanielGrozier]

I was lucky enough to snag a pair of event opals.My pre-opal mixs are now unlistenable,I can tell straight away,"thats my old ones".I used to read how important it was to invest in the best monitors,but was afraid to lash out.But it's so true.It changes your sound instantly,forget everything else on your xmas list,sell your girlfriend,your dog and your grandma and get some good monitors

[beats4reason]

Vespers! FIRSTLY your a rare breed! It takes a certain kind of person to be humble and share knowledge the way you do! 2ndly 1 question has plagued me for years, where is the correct position to place a subwoofer in a Studio?? In the center under/inbetween the monitors? or do a crawl test and find the best bass response?? Home theater says do the crawl test, but where do most mixing engineers place the sub??

Ps you kinda sound like Brad Pitt in fight club lol ;)

[DJVespers]

@beats4reason Hey mate. Thanks for watching and commenting! Sub bass is not directional so I don't think you need to be quite that precise in where you position it. If I was going to place a sub in my system, I'd put it behind my mixing desk, between my two monitors.

[djemptyx]

One important thing to remember when purchasing monitors is your room acoustics. Your monitors will only give you this "accurate" response IF your room is allowing for it. Mixing in rooms with the dimension of a box is a very bad idea and requires much bass-trapping to work around giant standing bass waves. Look up the term "standing waves". It's highly recommend treating the area around your mixing position to give less direct hi-frequency reflection. First work on writing good tracks then this

[ColdAsBalls]

i have krk rp6's in my apartment with an apogee one interface and they sound siiiick. im glad that i got 6's instead of 8's cause i can get the drivers pumping at lower volume levels as i cant crank it up as high in the apartment =(

highly recommend krk's rp's for the price. great bang for your buck

[DJVespers]

@ColdAsBalls I plan on publishing a new Youtube video called "strategies for when your bass pisses off your neighbours". Stay tuned for that one!

[RecklessNL21]

@DJVespers Man, I need that too! The only thing that keeps me from buying proper monitors is the complaints from the neighbours. I've heard that getting your room soundproofed (meaning that most of the sound will not leave the room, thus leaving you with the possibility of cranking up the volume) is also very expensive. Because if these problems, I am forced to mix in my headphones.

What would be the best thing to do? Thanks for the vid mate!

[ColdAsBalls]

@DJVespers that would be a beauty. ive already had multiple complaints, a call from the landlord, as well as general dirty looks from passerby's.

mixing on headphones sucks ass. if my neighbours want higher quality bass at this point theyre gonna have to buy me some bigger monitors. ive tried everything i can to get it sounding its best :P

[joeblack949]

@DJVespers green glue in the walls, trap dead air space, cover all preferrably double paned windows with lush carpeting, same with doors, make sure doors and windows have no air leaks, apply a gasket anywhere you find a leak, if your door is hollow get creative and fill it with sand or replace it with a solid oak or steel door

isolate your subs using 2 layers of cement with super balls cut in half in the middle and glued with green glue to stay in place, thats what i call the ghetto isolator,

[Bootstrap193]

@DJVespers I just came across the M-Audio Studiophile BX8A Deluxe for cheap. Do you think these would be a good choice for someone who is just staring out and doesnt have a lot of money to spend?

[zn3ss]

I appreciate your vids so much vespers. you rule

[DJVespers]

@zn3ss Anytime! Thanks for watching.

[blissful0ne]

Hey mr vespers,

What's a good low-end range for bass? I have the rp 8's, and they go down to about 45 hertz.. Do the extra 15 or 25 hertz below make a big difference?

Oh and by the way, to all the people that say the rokits aren't good enough, redfoo of lmfao uses them for ALL of his mixing and mastering...

Oh and their album Sorry For Party Rocking is sounding amazing

[DJVespers]

@blissful0ne Hey mate. All I can say is that on my Mackies, I can hear 30 hz. Perhaps on the KRKs they just mean that the curve isn't flat down there. I'm pretty sure they should be capable of 30hz, but you never know. Cheers!



[blissful0ne]

@DJVespers I tested it out with a frequency spectrum and a sine wave in operator. after 45ish hertz, no sound! :(

[urilycon]

that was great Vespers, thank you.

[TheComposer1979]

hey thi sis cool thanks i use audio technika headfones its very  transparant 150 buk i test my mix in many kinds of speakers and still sound cool but for sur its better to have speaker like this

[DJVespers]

@TheComposer1979 If it sounds good when you reference on other systems, that's a good indicator. When your budget allows, I'm sure you could make even further improvements using a fully dialed room and set of monitors. Cheers!

[richguy77]

Thank you

[morelmo]

Are you exporting a song in the background there? lol

[DJVespers]

@morelmo Yep.

[dougcolling]

Thanks man really helpful advice. Been wanting some KRK monitors for a while now. My lack of good speakers has been my main creativity blocker. Just gotta get some cash money together. Just a quick question though how would you recommend the KRK monitoring headphones for a student that can't necessarily get a grand together very easily but still wants accurate sound?

Cheers, love your work.

[DJVespers]

@dougcolling Thanks for watching. I've never used headphones for mixdowns before, but I wouldn't say you need a grand for proper monitors. $500 or so and you could pick up a decent intro pair. For headphones, you'd likely want to check out Sennheisers if you can't get monitor speakers. I've heard good things about them for mixdown work.

[dougcolling]

@DJVespers

Oh my bad I was talking NZ dollars. Ok great thanks. I was considering the KRK headphones. Or I may just put my head down and get some rockets :)

[DJVespers]

@dougcolling Ah, gotcha. Glad to have a kiwi on the channel. Welcome! I played Auckland a few years back. Lots of fun.

[Xo1ot1]

you know, some day you gotta give a tour through your "crib" and I'm expecting no less than a walkable wardrobe from you ;-)

[DJVespers]

@Xo1ot1 A tour of the studio or my place? LOL.

[Xo1ot1]

@DJVespers Don't tell me you got walkable wardrobes in both :p. I meant your place as a whole, because you showed your equipment in detail in another video already, I believe. Cheers

[Brainbox97]

I heard the krk's colour the sound too much. How flat are they?

[DJVespers]

@Brainbox97 I use my Mackies for all my mixes so I couldn't really say. I know a lot of people who like the KRKs though.

[thehalo2renegade]

@Brainbox97 if you want KRK's go for the VXT series, the rokit series isn't very good for mixing

[DJVespers]

@thehalo2renegade All depends on your budget. The VXTs are a fair bit more expensive aren't they?

[Bootstrap193]

I've just started taking my music production serously. However I don't have a very good sound card at the moment. I was wondering, should I invest in a better one before after I get some monitors?

I should also add that being only 16 I cannot really afford the highest end equipment atm :/

Oh and thanks for the advice. Your video's have been really useful to me.

[DJVespers]

@Bootstrap193 Hey mate.  What kind of soundcard do you have? If you already have even a half decent soundcard, I'd seriously consider monitors. Also, used gear is always an option. I picked up my Mackies used.

[robuzy]

saweet man im actualy currently saving for some krks good to know you recommend them

[DJVespers]

@robuzy Sweet. Make sure you get the 8s. Cheers! 

[ryanisflyboy]

@robuzy I have the KRK Rokit 8's and love them. For about $500 more you can get something better, but in the price range... Hard to beat. Hit a local recording supply store to hear several models in action. Be sure to listen to their response at various volume levels. All are not equal. Do NOT just listen to an MP3. You need something really high quality to listen to. At my local Guitar Center they had several models being driven by Ableton, and a patch to quickly try different monitor pairs.

[ChadLikesGuitars]

Regarding the KRK 8's, 45Hz - 20Khz certainly can't be the freq range for them?

My shitty speakers can pick up 35 Hz if turned up loud enough.

But if that is the case, then the KRK 8's can't be enough for bass heavy music?

[byLivio]

Thanks Vespers,youre the man!

[DJVespers]

@byLivio Glad to help out. Thanks for watching!



[djandywdotcom]

Thanks for the good information i recently purchased the rokit 8's there amazing i'm now looking @ building a new studio desk my current studio workstation is a bit full this is good information for upcoming producers

[DJVespers]

@djandywdotcom Wicked. The Rokit 8's are the ones I most recommend for entry level monitors. They slay pretty good. Cheers!

[RockerDuk]

I HAVRE THE SAME E PSOSTER !

[DJVespers]

@RockerDuk Chat Noir...meoooooow.

[LucidSpore]

I see you exporting something in the background =] and great vid, i have so much trouble looking for some, and dont know how much money i should put down :D thanks for this , very informational.

[DJVespers]

@LucidSpore Oh yeah, always exporting something ;) I'd highly recommend the Mackie HR824 (version 1s, not 2s). They're sick. You can pick em up used for decently cheap.

[LucidSpore]

@DJVespers Yeah same, been using ableton for mixing now to well i was for a bit. But thanks ill hopefully find me a pair pretty cheap, or go halfs :P really need some monitors for our studio, and some big ones at that :D for all them lovely bass lines. Anywho, thanks for the recomendation ill look up some.